Area Rugs

Kitchen & Bath

Designing your kitchen and bath is no small undertaking. After all, there are so many elements to these spaces to consider such as cabinets, countertops, plumbing, flooring, lighting to name just a few...

Countertops & Walls

When it comes to designing your kitchen and bathroom one of the most important elements are the countertops. Countertops see a lot of action; in the kitchen they take some abuse from hot pans, chopping knives...

Cabinets

Cabinetry is a very important decision in the building or remodeling process. If you haven’t shopped for cabinets lately it can be very overwhelming with all of the design and finish options available...

Tile | Installation

Before Installers Arrive

The arrival of new ceramic tile flooring is no exception, especially when one realizes that tile, like any floor covering, impacts interior beauty, design, décor, comfort, livability and upkeep. It’s a truth of housing: floor coverings can make, or break a home. Being readyfor the installation of your new ceramic tile will make the entire process go faster, more efficiently, and hopefully eliminate any “surprises.” Knowing what to expect and being prepared will also be a lot less stressful on you, your family and your home.

Use a professional

this type of floor is heavy, difficult work

it’s labor intensive and extremely exacting

not for the do-it-yourselfer

installing tile flooring is a skill that is developed through years of experience

Process begins with foundation preparation:

Process

prepare and level the substrate

cement subfloors can apply the mortar directly to it to lay the tile

wood subfloors require a CBU (cement backer unit)

movement in the substrate material can sometimes occur

for example, water penetrating the grout and/or freezing and thawing temperatures can sometimes cause tile to rise, crack or chip

area gets measured

snap chalk lines for an accurate layout

determine which pieces of tile will need to be cut to fit the area

tiles that need to be cut are measured and marked with a pencil

then use a wet saw with a diamond blade to cut through

begin setting the tile

thinset mortar, which is a cement-based adhesive, is applied to the surface with a trowel

tile then placed into the thinset and pressed firmly into place

imperfections in your subfloor will require differing amounts of mortar to be applied

this installation, known as a medium bed installation, is more time consuming and costly

once the tiled floor has been set, left to fully cure (12 to 24 hours), grout is applied

quick set grout is also an option for smaller areas

Grout

after tiles are set and the thinset mortar has fully cured, joints are filled with grout

sanded and unsanded grouts are used

type of grout used is determined by the tile, grout joint and width

mixture is spread over the tiled area to fill in all the joints

sponge is used to remove excess grout from the surface of the tile

mortar and grout need 24 hours to cure before walking on

Before installation day

relocate furniture

empty china cabinets and closets

consider removal and disposal of old floorcovering

remove it yourself and leave 1 day before install

moldings and baseboards need to be removed for stone installation

installers not responsible for damage or breakage due to dry or brittle wood

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